1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shopping caddy system and pertains more particularly to an arrangements for improved collapsibility and engagement of shopping caddies and associated shopping bags.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Groceries are typically bagged at the checkout counter in a plastic bag or a collapsible paper bag. The paper and plastic bags are generally considered to be disposable items. Alternatively, reusable canvas bags are sometimes used to transport groceries. Any of the various types of grocery bags are conventionally transported from the store in a cargo area of a motor vehicle, such as the trunk of a car.
However, it has been conventionally recognized that bags can tip, shift and spill. In response to this problem, grocery bag holders (or caddies) have been used to secure grocery bags in the motor vehicles. However, possibly due in part to the expense and/or cumbersomeness of conventional shopping caddies, these caddies are not yet widely used.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,348 to Dottor et al. discloses a grocery bag holder with a rigid bottom member. The upstanding sides of the grocery bag holder of Dottor et al. can be folded down or collapsed down to lie flat along the a bottom mat. However, the bottom mat itself is not collapsible.